Did you know?

Unstructured outdoor activity is down by half from the previous generation.

Children in the USA average just 30 minutes a week of unregulated time outdoors; however, their weekly electronic media exposure is almost 45 hours a week.

Visits to National Parks have been decreasing since 1987.

The amount of outdoor, environmental education programs offered in our local schools has been decreasing in the last 10 years.

The average American child can recognize 1,000 corporate logos but can’t identify 10 plants or animals native to his or her own region.

71% of adults walked or biked to school when they were children and only 22% of kids do today.

Approximately 16% of US children aged 6-19 are overweight or obese.  Childhood obesity has doubled over the past 30 years for preschoolers and adolescents and more than tripled for children aged 6-11.

I remember that walk to school bit . . . for me it was 4 miles through the snow, uphill in both directions . . . with no mittens . . . and no galoshes! Really! It was tough.

June 12 and 13 is the weekend run to Crandall Peak trail. The turn off is 2 miles north of Strawberry. The trail is 36 miles of unpaved road, Class 3 rating.

Most of the trail is a 2 with the 3 rating coming along Strawberry Ridge and the descent to the Stanislaus River.

Of course, turning around is always an option.We are planning to leave here around 11am and return on Sunday around 5pm.

We will camp along the route in time for cocktails, possible at the Sand Bar Flat campground.

If you can make it, please post here.

PS. Weekend Warrior Trip #2 is on July 18th – The Bad Beer contest at Stinson Beach.

Trail Rating
#1: The trail is graded dirt suitable for a normal passenger vehicle.
#2: High-clearance vehicles are preferred but not necessary. The trail is dirt with possible rocks, grades, water crossings or ruts that make clearance a concern in a normal passenger vehicle.
#3: High-clearance 4wd preferred but any high-clearance vehicle is acceptable. Expect a rough road, loose surface, rocks up to 6” in diameter. Roads will be wide enough for passing or have pull-offs.
#4: High-clearance 4wds are recommended although most stock SUVs are acceptable.
Ratings extracted from BackCountry Adventures Northern California, Peter Massey and Jeanne Wilson. To order: Backcountry Adventures Northern California: The Ultimate Guide to the Backcountry for Anyone with a Sport Utility Vehicle

On February 22, a new law took effect that applied state firearms laws to national parks and wildlife refuges across America.

The implementation of the new law, which the National Park Service (NPS) has planned for since passage of H.R. 627 last May, has so far been without major problems. NPS management reports that it has worked with the 493 individual parks, promoting a consistent message on several key points:

Under the new law, every park is subject to all the firearms laws of the state (or states) where the park is located.

Park visitors must know and obey state laws, including knowing which state laws apply in parks (such as Yellowstone) that cross state boundaries. (For information on state laws, go to http://www.nraila.org/gunlaws/.)

The new law affects firearms possession, not use. Laws regarding hunting, poaching, target shooting or any unlawful discharge remain unchanged.

It will remain unlawful to carry in certain locations, under a separate law that prohibits possession of any firearm in a “federal facility.”

In common english, you can now carry a gun in a National Park just like you have been able to carry in a National Forest subject to the laws of the state where you are located. That means in a National Park you can carry concealed weapons if that is legal in that state. For example, in California, it is general illegal to carry a concealed weapon but you can carry a weapon in a holster for all to see – the same rule would be in effect for Yosemite National Park.

If you check the NPS website for the particular park you are going to visit, you can read their rule which will refer you to state law. Two important things; 1.)You have to know the state laws. The park will not post them or interpret them and 2.) Make sure you know what a federal facility is. The park will have those posted.

I know, I know – many of you would most likely get more excited over the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Issue but for me, looking at new Coleman stoves is about as hot as it gets . . . and I can touch one of those without my DW getting upset!

This one looks good!

I ordered California and the West Dog Travel Guide, 790 pages of small type with almost every city and park listed. It will be invaluable in planning our summer trip to Glacier National Park.

They somehow cover every state at DogFriendly.com with lots of information you will find helpful. Books are reasonable, ship very quickly and there is online information also.

Done deal. All we can do now is hang on, watch and wait until we get the bill. So, in the interim, I suggest we go camping! Or, at least think about camping!

Get out there. Build that campfire. Reminisce about Grandpa.

. . . when Grandpa was young they didn’t have credit cards . . . to buy a home you needed at least 20% down and a job . . . Grandpa says Great Grandpa rode a horse from Salt Lake City to Provo (it took all day) so he could work during the harvest . . . no KOA’s so Grandpa camped about anywhere there was public land . . . time for marshmallows . . . most people camped in tents and slept under the stars . . . Grandpa saw Sputnik . . . what was that . . . he saw lots we don’t see . . . doctor’s made house calls . . . what was that . . . the movies were $0.35 and a movie called Psycho scared him to death . . . he worked in the laundry and bowling alley during school and at Frosty’s Market and at a truck stop . . . he had a paper route . . . what was that . . . his bike only had one gear . . . there was no Safeway or Walmart . . . he liked camping a lot . . . and apple cider pressed right in the field and marshmallows . . . he liked his burnt . . . he made hobo stew . . . what was that?

Del Valle is about 20 miles away and has a small lake, fishing (but I no direct knowledge of that), and at this time of year a small stream flowing into the lake. Lots of campers, canoers and kayakers. The only bad thing is the price – $26 for a reservation.

All worked and we started getting used to where things are and how they worked.

• We used the inverter for a computer with an outside connection that worked fine. I turned the water heater on briefly (electric) and the inverter went way down. Not that it won’t work but we’ll save the water heater for shore power or special occasions.
• The microwave came on also and passed the smoke test. We had forgotten the popcorn (of course) so the actual cooking on the mw will have to come later.
• The leveling process was slightly hampered as I really didn’t know what surface to level. Counter top, floor, step, refrig top – no two were alike. We settled on the floor and that seemed to work out. If you are camping in some of the National Forest parks you might want to carry two sets of levelers – some of their sites are quite challenging.
• Cooking on the new flush mounted stove was great. One caveat, light the fire (just pushing a spark button while holding down the knob) before putting a pan on. Having the pan on will cause the fire to expand to the edges of the pan and you will burn the hair off your hand – and that’s all we’ll say about that.
• Poured the spaghetti water down the drain and did a few dishes but surprise, the grey water tank was full. I have to find out what size that is – apparently quite small.
• We didn’t have the ventilation we had in the Eurovan with the top up – the Sprinter is much “tighter” than our Eurovan was. We will have to get some screens for the front windows. Confirmed the window on the galley side will only open 1 or 2 inches without becoming a big problem with the sliding door. The fantastic fan does move a lot of air but is a bit noisy.
• Seats swiveled easily and had lots of room behind them (between the seat and the firewall) for storing cameras, make-up kits, small bags, etc. We utilize that area to move things from the cabin forward when we camp.
• We were used to hanging a trash bag off the passenger mirror but that won’t work anymore. SMB provided a small trash can which works quite well and is more classy than a plastic bag hanging from the mirror.
• The electric fridge is awesome. A 12v that is super efficient, it cools quickly and looks like the days of frozen vegetables and left-overs are gone. It does make a little noise, something you will get used to very quickly.
• The awning is also something you really need. A great shade provider that guarantees some heat relief.

All in all it was a great over-nighter. Everything worked and there was no head hitting or bumping into things. As we were pulling out, I asked, “Do you think we can stay in this for 30 days?” My wife just looked and smiled. I think that will be part of the adventure in Alaska.

I’m going to add this to our cocktail flag – its a picture of us on the road. See our little, brilliant silver metallic Sprinter?

If you see this flying at the campsite you will know who it is. You can always stop by for a cocktail, or a gab or just to say hey.